A conversation between all

Efforts by inter-faith groups to build bridges between different religions seem entirely sensible. Since 1970, the number of organisations in Britain set up to promote links between religions has risen from a handful to well over 200, and looks set to keep growing.

But only 12 of the 253 inter-faith bodies in the UK have humanist representatives, which means that a potentially significant opportunity for communication and interaction is being lost.

However there are enough examples of inclusion to prove that this is perfectly possible.

Humanists have been involved in the Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource since its establishment in 1993; in the 1970s, years before the foundation of bodies such as the Inter Faith Network, the British Humanist Association co-founded the Standing Council on Inter-Faith Dialogue in Education together with Jews and Christians; and, along with religious believers, they co-founded the Social Morality Council (now the Norham Foundation).